From diabetes battles to 65-foot putts, the unlikely story of golf’s newest superstar

Most golf fans probably couldn’t pick JJ Spaun out of a lineup six months ago. Now? He’s the guy who drained the most ridiculous 65-foot birdie putt you’ve ever seen to win the U.S. Open at Oakmont. But there’s so much more to this story than one magical moment on the 72nd hole.

The Kid Who Almost Played Golf Before He Was Born

John Michael Spaun Jr. – yeah, that’s what JJ stands for – came into this world on August 21, 1990, in Los Angeles. Here’s the crazy part: his mom Dollie was literally playing golf while pregnant with him. Talk about starting early. Some kids get lullabies; JJ got the sound of golf balls being struck in the womb.

His parents didn’t just introduce him to golf – they practically made it his destiny. And honestly, it worked out pretty well.

The Long Road to Overnight Success

You know how they say it takes 10 years to become an overnight success? For Spaun, try 12 years. He turned pro in 2012 after earning Mountain West Conference Player of the Year honors at San Diego State University. But his path to PGA Tour glory wasn’t exactly a straight line.

First stop: PGA Tour Canada, where dreams go to either flourish or die a slow death in the Great White North. Spaun’s first taste of success came at the 2013 Times Colonist Island Savings Open, where he finished T8th. Not exactly headline news, but hey, everyone starts somewhere.

Breaking Records While Breaking Through

By 2015, Spaun was starting to figure things out. He won his first professional tournament at the Staal Foundation Open and absolutely destroyed the PGA Tour Canada earnings record, pocketing $91,193 CAD for the season. That might not sound like life-changing money, but it was enough to keep the dream alive.

The Web.com Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour) beckoned in 2016, and Spaun grabbed his first victory there at the News Sentinel Open. Finally, PGA Tour privileges were within reach.

147 Starts and Counting

Here’s where the story gets really human. Spaun joined the PGA Tour in 2016, and for the next six years, he was that guy – solid, reliable, always around, but never quite breaking through. Week after week, tournament after tournament, he kept showing up and grinding.

Then, on his 147th PGA Tour start, everything changed. The 2022 Valero Texas Open became his coming-out party, where he beat Matt Jones and Matt Kuchar by two shots. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect – it happened just one week before The Masters, earning him his first trip to Augusta National.

The Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming

In 2018, Spaun got some devastating news: he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Except here’s the kicker – it was actually a misdiagnosis. He had Type 1 diabetes, which is a completely different beast requiring daily insulin management.

Most people would’ve packed it in right there. Not Spaun. He became a diabetes research advocate and kept grinding on tour, proving that sometimes life’s curveballs just make you stronger.

The Man Behind the Clubs

Away from golf, JJ Spaun is probably the most relatable tour pro you’ll ever meet. The guy has a season pass to Disneyland – and actually uses it. He’s obsessed with his Los Angeles Dodgers, proudly represents his Filipino-American heritage through his mother’s side, and has a serious thing for BMW cars.

He’s married to Melody, and they’ve got two daughters with names that sound like they belong in a fairy tale: Emerson Lili and Violet Windsor. This is a guy who somehow balances managing Type 1 diabetes, traveling the world playing professional golf, and making sure he doesn’t miss too many trips to the Magic Kingdom.

So Close You Could Taste It

Just when it seemed like Spaun might be destined for “solid tour pro” status forever, 2025 happened. At The Players Championship, he led after 54 holes and looked ready to claim golf’s unofficial fifth major. Then Rory McIlroy happened.

A playoff that got postponed until Monday morning due to darkness turned into heartbreak when Spaun struggled in the restart. Second place stings, but it also proved he belonged in golf’s biggest moments.

The Putt That Changed Everything

Which brings us to Oakmont and the 2025 U.S. Open. Standing on the 72nd tee with a chance to win his first major championship, Spaun probably thought about those 147 starts, the diabetes diagnosis, all those close calls, and his two little girls watching at home.

Then he rolled in a 65-foot birdie putt that defied physics, logic, and probably several laws of nature. Two-shot victory. First major championship. Career-high 8th in the world rankings. And suddenly, everyone knew exactly who JJ Spaun was.

The Unlikely Hero We Needed

In a sport often dominated by can’t-miss superstars and blue-chip prospects, JJ Spaun represents something different. He’s proof that persistence beats pedigree, that showing up matters more than showing off, and that sometimes the best stories are written by the guys you never saw coming.

He’s the Disney-loving, diabetes-fighting, 12-year overnight success who just happened to drain the putt of his life when it mattered most. And honestly? That might be the most relatable major champion golf has ever had.